Is it Permissible for Women to look at Men?

November 8, 2017

Question:

1. How does one reconcile the injunction in the Qur’an which tells the believing men & women to lower their gaze with the narration that A’isha Radiallahu Anha was permitted to watch some Abyssinians performing a show with her chin resting on his shoulder?

2. Can this latter narration mentioned above be used to prove that females are permitted to look at male scholars, either on video or in person for the purpose of learning Deen?

3. Are there any narrations which mention that women learnt Deen in this way, i.e. by looking at Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam or the Sahabah?

4. People mention the incident of Hadhrat A’isha Radiallahu Anha & watching the Abyssinians performing a show as a means of justifying females watching scholars online & learning from them provided there is no attraction. Is this justified? Once someone becomes attracted, is it not too late?

In this Ayah, there is a general command for women to guard their gaze from Haram. From this, some Fuqaha (scholars) are of the opinion that it is not permissible for women to look at men under all circumstances, whether there is fear of Fitna or not[2]. This is also proven from the following Hadith;

Umm Salamah narrated to him, that she and Maimunah were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), she said: “So when we were with him, Ibn Umm Maktum came, and he entered upon him, and that was after veiling had been ordered for us. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Veil yourselves from him.’ So I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is he not blind such that he can not see us or recognize us?’ So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Are you two blind such that you can not see him?'(Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2778)

Other Fuqaha are of the opinion that it is permissible for a woman to look at a man, (excluding the awrah) if there is no fear of Fitnah and attraction. They establish this from the following Hadith,

Aisha (Radhiallahu Anha) narrated, Once I saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) at the door of my house while some Ethiopians were playing in the mosque (displaying their skill with spears). Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was screening me with his Rida'(shawl) so as to enable me to see their display.(Bukhari 454)

Some Fuqaha have objected that this Hadith may have been before the order of Hijab was revealed, or Aisha (Radhiallahu Anha) had not reach the age of maturity. It is also mentioned by some Fuqaha that Aisha (Radhiallahu Anha) was looking at their actions and spears, not at their actual faces and body.[3]

Moreover, the above Ayaah and Hadith has been preferred over this incident of Aisha (Radhiallahu Anha)[4] due to the following reasons,

The verse of the Quran and the narration of Umme Salmah (Radhiallahu Anha) are principle based, (قولي) while the incident of Aisha (Radhiallahu Anha) is an isolated practice (فعلي), which could be interpreted in various ways due to the context[5]. In principle, a (قولي) Hadith is preferred over a (فعلي) Hadith. Furthermore it is supported by the verse of the Quran.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alahi Wa Sallam) and the Sahabah (Radhiallahu Anhum) were extremely cautious in matters of Hijaab. Moreover, the piety and Allah consciousness at that time in the people is far from present nowadays. In this era of Fitna, the Ulama have issued such rulings that close doors to shamelessness and immorality. [6].

Ulama that deal with immorality related problems will testify to the evils emanating from females looking at men either directly or in picture of digital forms.[7]

[4] Aisha (Radhiallahu Anha) narrated, Once I saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) at the door of my house while some Ethiopians were playing in the mosque (displaying their skill with spears). Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was screening me with his Rida'(shawl) so as to enable me to see their display.(Bukhari 454)

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